POACEAE

GRASS FAMILY

James P. Smith, Jr., except as specified

Annual to bamboo-like; roots generally fibrous
Stem generally round, hollow; nodes swollen, solid
Leaves alternate, 2-ranked, generally linear; sheath generally open; ligule membranous or hairy, at blade base
Inflorescence various (of generally many spikelets)
Spikelet: glumes generally 2; florets (lemma, palea, flower) 1–many; lemma generally membranous, sometimes glume-like; palea generally ± transparent, ± enclosed by lemma
Flower generally bisexual, minute; stamens generally 3; stigmas generally 2, generally plumose
Fruit: achene-like grain
Genera in family: 650–900 genera; ± 10,000 species: worldwide; greatest economic importance of any family (wheat, rice, maize, millet, sorghum, sugar cane, forage crops, ornamental, weeds; thatching, weaving, building materials)
Reference: [Hitchcock 1951 Manual grasses US, USDA Misc Publ 200; Clayton & Renvoise 1986 Kew Bull Add Series 13]
See Glossary p. 26 for illustrations of general family characteristics. Generally wind-pollinated.

SPARTINA

CORD GRASS

John R. Baird and John W. Thieret

Perennial, generally with rhizomes
Stem erect, unbranched
Leaves basal and cauline; sheath open, > internodes, glabrous, margin of sheath opening sometimes with long, shaggy hairs; ligule a fringe of hairs, 0.5–2 mm; blade flat to inrolled, long tapered, upper surface ridged
Inflorescence panicle-like; each spike-like branch with 2 rows of overlapping spikelets on lower side of axis
Spikelet laterally compressed, sessile, breaking below glumes, falling as 1 unit; glumes firmly membranous, obtuse to acuminate or with a small, sharp point, unequal, upper 1–3(5)-veined, generally > floret, lower 1-veined, < floret; floret 1; lemma 1(3)-veined, acute, awned or not, firmly membranous; palea ± = lemma, 2-veined
Species in genus: 15 species: Am, Eur, Africa
Etymology: (Greek: a cord)
Reference: [Spicher & Josselyn 1985 Madroño 32:158–167]

Native

S. foliosa Trin.

CALIFORNIA CORD GRASS

Rhizome 2–6 mm wide
Stem solitary or in small clumps, 6–15 dm, 7–12 mm wide at base, thick; internodes fleshy
Leaf: blade 15–45 cm, 5–17 mm wide at base, flat when fresh or inrolled near tip, ridges on upper surfaces ± 5 per mm
Inflorescence 9–25 cm, 5–13 mm wide, dense, cylindric; branches 3–25, closely overlapping, generally closely appressed, 2–8 cm, 3–7 mm wide
Spikelet 10–25 mm; glume keels glabrous or with soft, shaggy hairs; lower glume 7–8 mm; upper glume 12–25 mm; lemma 10–12 mm, keel glabrous
Chromosomes: 2n=112
Ecology: Salt marshes, mudflats, shores
Elevation: < 10 m.
Bioregional distribution: North Coast, Central Coast, South Coast
Distribution outside California: Mexico
Horticultural information: WET, SUN: 17, 22, 23, 24; STBL, salt tolerant.